Automatic self-contained fire extinguisher



Aug. 14, 1923. 11,465,129

M. F. HAYES AUTOMATIC SELF CONTAINED FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed July 8.1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 III lllil Aug. 14, 1923. 31 465.129

M. F. HAYES AUTOMATIC SELF CONTAINED FIRE EXTINGUISHER I Filed July 19214 Sheets-Shem? 3 M. F. HAYES AUTOMATIC SELF CONTAINED FIRE EXTINGUISHERAug". 14, 1923. v 11,465,129

Filed July 8. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 III T m llllllli'lii IllllllllfBAGEJ2 M. F. HAYES v AUTOMATIC SELF CONTAINED FIRE EXTINGUISHER FiledJuly 1921 4 Shuts-Sheet 4 fmwem2aza y We p Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

LENETED TATE MICHAEL F. HAYES, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC SELF-CONTAINED FIRE EXTINGUISHERF Application filed. July 8,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. HAYns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Automatic Self-Contained FireExtinguishers, of. which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic, self.- contained fire extinguisherswhich are especially adapted to be installed in buildings, as movingpicture booths, garages, Warehouses, and the like to serve the purposeand take the place of a complicated and expensive automatic Sprinklersystem.

An object of my invention is to improve the construction and operationof automatic,

self-contained fire extinguishers.

The device embodying my invention includes a container for thefire-extinguish ing fluid, means to generate a gaseous pressure withinthe container to cause the forcible ejection of the fluid therein, andtemperature-responsive means to govern the generation of pressure. Ipreferably employ a solution of waterand bi-carbonate of soda in thecontainer and means controlled by the temperature-responsive means tomix an acid, as sulphuric acid, into the solution in the containerwhereby to build up a gaseous pressure in a well-known manner to actupon and forcibly eject the solution.

The container is provided with means whereby it may be secured removablyto awall or ceiling or other support in the room it is designed toprotect from fire. When the device is to be installed in a cold ornonheated room, as an isolated or detached ga-v rage and the like, Iprovide means to keep the solution in the container from freezing; andthe means may comprise an outer shell enclosing and spaced from thecontainer to provide a temperature-insulating, dead-air Space about thecontainer; and this constitutes a further object of the invention.

It is a yet further object of the invention to provide manually-operablestirring means disposed within the container having manually-engageablemeans on the outside thereof adapted to be manipulated at intervals toprevent the collection of a deposit of bicarbonate of soda at the bottomof the container.

A- further object of my invention is to provide a rotatable discharge orSpraying 1921. Serial No. 483,309.

device actuated by pressure or motion of the fluid passing through it tospray anddistribute jets of fire extinguishing, fluid to objects withinits range.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automatic, self-contained fireextinguisher embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the acid.- holding means andthermostatic acid-release means.

Fig. 4 is a plan detail of Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is a plan detail ofthe acid. bottle holder.

Fig. 6 is a section along line 6-6 of g 7 is a section along line 7'-7of Fig. 2 with the acid-holding and thermostatic control means removedand illustrating more particularly the scraper.

Fig. 8 is a section along line 8-8 of F i 2 and illustrating a sectionof the rotatable spraying device.

Fig. 9 is a modified form of the invention wherein the outer andtemperature insulatingtank is omitted.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but with the bottle holder displacedin the release means for re-filling the bottle.

As here shown the extinguisher embody ing my invention may be suspendedfrom a support by the chains 15 and hooks 16 or other suitableattaching-mean by which it is removably supported. The extinguisherincludes the container 17 for the fire-extinguishing fluid; and saidcontainer may be of any suitable shape and as here shown issemi-spherical in form. A plate 18 comprising a cover for the containeris. secured on the top thereof by suitable means, as rivets and brazing,to form a pressure tight joint. Said plate is herein shown as flat butobviously may be concave or otherwise shaped whereby the better toresist internal pressure within the, container. A shell 18 preferablyencloses and is spaced from the container to provide a dead-air space 20be tween the shell and container by which the fire-extinguishing fluidin the container may be protected from a freezing temperature. Ifdesired, the container may be further protected by packinganywell-kn'own heat-insulating medium in the air space, although thispacking is not here shown; Spacing memhers 21v are secured to the innerface of said shell 19 and serve to locate the container and shellsubstantially concentrically. A cover 22 is secured removably to saidshell and is spaced from the cover of said container.

The acid-holding means and release-means and thermostatic control areremovable from the container as a unit. Said cover 18 of the containeris provided with the internally screw-threaded neck 23 having theinwardlydireeted annular flange 24C in the lower portion of the neckwhich forms a seat for the acid-holding means, and the aperture 25through which the fire-extinguishing fluid and the acid-holding means isintroduced into the container 7.

The acid-holding means and releasemeans and thermostatic control arecarried by the plug 26 which has the exteriorlythreaded end-portion 27adapted removably to be threaded into the neck of the container; and twoprojections 28 having recesses which provide means by which the plug maybe engaged by a spanner-wrench and rotated.

The acid-holding means comprises the ring 29 having the three spaceddownwardlyextended integral arms 31 and the plate 32 secured to and betveen said arms intermediate the ends thereof and upon which the acidbottle 33 is adapted to rest. The acid bottle preferably is made ofglass and is supported in an inverted position in said holder. The endsof said arms 31 terminate in the eXteriorly-threaded ring 3 1 in whichthe upper end of the acid bottle is disposed. An interiorly-threaded cap35 is threaded on said ring and serves to hold the bottle in the holder,and the bottle may be removed for replacements, cleaning and the like byfirst removing said cap. Preferably a resilient ring 36 of rubber orequivalent, is disposed between the bottle and the cap wherebyyieldingly to hold the bottle in place.

Said holder is extended in inverted position into the container with thering 29 thereof resting upon the flange 24 in the neck of the container,and said ring is en gaged and held solidly in position by the threadedportion 27 of the plug 26. The open neck 33" of the acid bottle isnormally closed by the stopper 3'7 which preferably is of glass; and thestopper and the neck of the bottle are preferably so tapered that thestopper can easily be removed from the neck by a direct downward pulland yet tightly close the bottle against undesired escape of acid. Saidstopper is carried by the acid release means which is under the controloi. the thermostatic or temperature-responsive means.

The acid-release means includes the rod 32 having the two forks orbranches 38 and 38". Said branches extend downwardly into the containerbeneath the plug 26 and within the ring 29 of the holder; and the endportions thereof are reduced in size and e-Xteriorly screw-threaded. Thestopper 37 is secured to, as by being embedded in, the bar 39; and saidbar is secured removably on the threaded ends of said branchesBS and 38by the nuts 40. Normally said bar is maintained in raised position andthe acid bottle is thereby sealed but, upon sufficient elevation ofcircumainbient temperature, the bar is adapted to be moved forciblydownward to withdraw the stopper from the bottle and permit the contentsto escape into the container 17 and mix withthe bicarbonate of sodasolution therein and generate; a gaseous pressure.

The rod 38 or the acld-release means is guided for vertical movement inan aperture 11 in said plug and said rod is preferably a close fittherein to reduce gas leakage from the container 17 although other meansare provided to seal the aperture when the device is in operation. Asupporting bracket 5L2 is secured to and extends above said plug and hasan aperture in the upper end thereof in which the upper end of said rod38 is slidably received and supported. A compression spring 4:3encircles said rod 38 beneath said standard 42 and serves to press saidrod downward and extract the stopper from the acid bottle when releasedby the thermostatic device. A collar 44 is fixed to said rod 38 againstwhich the lower end of said spring presses; and said collar is adaptedto rest upon the plug 26 over and seal the aperture 4.1 therein when thedevice is in operation.

The rod 38 of the release means is normally held in raised positionagainst the pressure of said spring 43 by the thermostatic device, asthe fusible link 45, which is removably secured on a hook 16 of thestandard 42 and a hook at? of the collar 474: of the acid-release means.It is obvious that. when the temperature of the link 45 is suiiicientlyhigh. it will separate and permitthe spring to force the bar 38 downwardto withdraw the stopper from the acid bottle.

It will be noted. that the holder tor the acid bottle can be movedlaterally with respect to the release-means and the stopper 37, toassume a position indicated in Fig. 11, in which position the bottle mayeasily be re-filled.

The fire-extinguishing fluid may be discharged trom the containerthrough any suitable means but I prefer to employ a rotatable device bywhich the fluid is sprayed over adjacent objects in a very effectivemanner. Fluid is conducted to the rotatable device through the pipe 50which extends upwardly from within the container 17 to a point above thefluid level therein and outwardly through a sealed aperture therein anddownwardly along and secured to the outer face of the container andwithin the shell 19. The fluid in the container is normally atatmospheric pressure and the pipe or conduit 50 musthave a portionthereof elevated above the fluid level, or otherwise fluid will escapethrough the pipe, as said pipe is open at both ends. The lower end ofsaid pipe terminates in the externally-threaded nipple 51 which extendsthrough an aperture in the bottom of said shell 19. A bearing-memberhaving the internallythreaded upper end portion 52 is threaded on saidnipple. Said bearing-member has the shoulder 53 which forms a seat uponwhich the rotatable device rotates, and has the hollow tubular extension54 formed with slots 55 therein through which the fire-extinguishingfluid is discharged from the container.

The rotatable spraying device comprises the hollow ball 56 formed in twocomplementary threaded half-portions and having a plurality of orifices57 through the side wall thereof. Said orifices are drilled or otherwiseformed in the side wall at an angle with the vertical axis of the ballwhereby the reaction of the fluid discharged through the orifices willrotate said ball and cause the jets to drench surrounding objects withinrange. The upper portion of said ball has an aperture therein which isrotatably received on the upper portion 52 of the bearing member and theball is roetatably supported in position upon the shoulder 53 whichengages the inner face thereof.

A screw 58 is adjustably supported in said bearing-member along its axisand the lower portion of said ball is rotatably supported thereon. Acollar 59 disposed on the upper portion 52 of said bearing member mayserve to restrain the ball against upward axial movement.

A scraper 6O shaped to conform with the interior bottom faces of thecontainer 17 is disposed within the container and pivoted to the upperportion of the wall thereof and is adapted to be reciprocated atintervals to break up any collection of undissolved bi-carbonate of sodain the container. Said scraper has a shaft 61 which extends outwardlythrough the wall of and beyond the container and the shell 19 andterminates in an arm 62. Depending pull chains 63 and 64, are secured tosaid arm and extend in opposite directions and over pulleys 65 pivotallycarried by theshell 19 and form manually-engageable means by which thescraper may be reciprocated.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 9 is adapted for rooms notsubjected to freezing temperatures; and the outer shell 19 isconsequently omitted. The pipe 50 is, in this case, contained entirelywithin the container and the nipple 51 thereof extends through and issealed in the bottom of the container in an obvious manner.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in further modifiedstructures without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. An automatic, self-contained, fire extinguisher having a containerfor fire-extinguishing fluid formed with a neck, an externally-carriedspraying device in communication with the interior of said container, aplug removably secured in the neck of said container, an inverted,normallysealed, acid bottle held in said container beneath said plug,spring-pressed, bottle-unsealing means slidably extended through saidplug into said container, and temperature-responsive means disposedabove said plug arranged normally to restrain said spring-pressed meansfrom operation.

2. An automatic, self-contained, fire extinguisher having a containerfor fire-extinguishing fluid formed with a neck, an exter- 8nally-carried spraying device in communication with the interior of saidcontainer, a plug removably secured in the neck of said container, abottle-holder supported within said container beneath said neck, aninverted acid bottle removably carried by said holder, acid-releasemeans slidably extended through said plug into said container, anacid-bottle stopper carried by said means arranged normally to seal saidacid bottle, a spring carried by said release means above said pluarranged to move said means downward an withdraw the stopper from thebottle, and a fusible link extended between said plug and release meansto hold said release means 100 from operation.

8. An automatic, self-contained, fire extlnguisher having a containerfor fire-extinguishing fluid formed with an internally screw-threadedneck having an internal annular flange, an acid-bottle holder having aring received on said flange, an externally screw-threaded plug receivedin said neck against the ring of said bottle holder, said bottle holderhaving means removably to hold an acid bottle therein, an acid bottlereceived removably in inverted position in saidholdcr, a rod slidablyextended through an aperture in said plug having two branches withinsaid container arranged on opposite sides of said bottle holder, an acidbottle stopper secured removably to said arms, said stopper normallyarranged to seal said bottle. a standard carried by and above said plugin which said rod is slidably received,

a compression spring carried by said rod beneath and in engagementwithsaid standard arranged to force said rod downward and withdraw thestopper from the acid bottle, a

fusible link removably extended between said standard and rod arrangednormally to restrain said rod against the pressure of said spring, andan externally carried spraying device in communication with the interiorof said container.

4; An automatic, self-contained, fire extinguisher having a containerfor fire extinguishing fluid, an externally-carried spraying device incommunication with the interior of said container,temperature-controlled means including a rod slidably extended throughan aperture in said container to GfiiQCiZ a generation of gaseouspressure within said container, temperature-responsive meansexternally-carried by said casing arranged to effect a movement of saidrod in the operation of said casing, and means carried by said rodarranged to be moved downwardly with said rod to seal said aperture.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MICHAEL F. HAYES.

